Case Western Reserve Investigates How Worms on the Move Mix up Sediment, Marine Life

Mother Nature can disrupt the best intentions of humans.

Peter McCall and Gerald Matisoff, geologists in the College of Arts and Sciences at Case Western Reserve University, and undergraduate researchers are studying the feeding and burrowing habits of marine invertebrates in mud-capped sediment. The movements of these worms in dredged deposits have the potential to return buried and polluted materials to harbors and shorelines and potentially disturb nearby marine ecology.

As part of regular maintenance along the seaboard, rivers and Great Lakes, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dredges harbors for navigation, removing sediment that has collected from river deposits or incoming tides. McCall and co-investigator Matisoff, professor and chair of the department of geological sciences, have a three-year $155,000 grant from the Army Corps of Engineers to create a mathematical model of invertebrate movement and feeding in this removed sediment to determine how thick a clean mud cap needs to be to protect dredged deposits. Read more.

School of Law Alumnus Recognized for Exemplary Pro Bono Service

Case Western Reserve University School of Law alumnus David A. Kutik was recognized for his pro bono service and received the inaugural John C. and Ginny Elam Pro Bono Award at the Ohio State Bar Association's 128th Annual Convention.

The award recognizes lawyers in Ohio for their outstanding pro bono service, and was presented by Ohio Supreme Court Chief Justice Tom Moyer. The Elam Award included $5,000 that Kutik donated to the Legal Aid Society of Cleveland. Read more.

Campus News

The Center for Community Partnerships announces that Case Western Reserve departments and organizations seeking charitable funding can apply for its new Community Outreach Program grants. Campus affiliates will be selected to receive up to $1,000 each for the 2008-2009 academic year. Community outreach programs or events may focus on any of the following areas: Pre K-12; senior citizens; health; social service; community and economic development; and lifelong learning. Faculty, staff, undergraduate, graduate and local alumni groups are invited to apply by September 2, 2008. Learn more.

Campus groups, departments and divisions that would like to participate in the Fall 2008 Activities Fair are invited to fill out a survey. This year's fair will begin at 11:30 a.m., August 23 on Freiberger Field. Groups are asked to bring information about their organization and show how they uniquely contribute to student life and/or the Case Western Reserve community. For questions or more information, send an e-mail to the activities fair staff.

For Faculty and Staff

The University Center for Innovation in Teaching and Education (UCITE) is hosting a summer series of informal lunchtime discussions meant to provide faculty from all areas of the university an opportunity to get together to raise and discuss issues of interest in relation to their research, teaching and campus community life. These discussions will take place noon to 1 p.m. Thursdays in the Herrick Room of the Allen Memorial Medical Library. The July 17 topic is "Augmented Learning in the Traditional Classroom." Mace Mentch, faculty support manager for Instructional Technology and Academic Computing, will discuss the use of e-learning in the traditional classroom. Pizza and soda will be served. RSVP to UCITE or register online.

For Students

Students may change their meal plan selection for fall 2008 online. Those who wish to cancel their meal plans must still do so in person in Crawford Hall, Room 215 by filling out the "Meal Plan Cancellation" form. Contact the Meal Plan Office via e-mail or by phone at 368-5844.

Events

The Case Western Reserve University School of Law announces its first annual "Center for Social Justice Benefit Concert" featuring a special evening with legendary musical artist Richie Havens at 8 p.m., September 5 at the Ohio Theater, Playhouse Square Center. Limited VIP tickets are available, which will include preferred seating and a pre-show reception with Havens. This fundraising event for the Center for Social Justice will support scholarships, a loan repayment assistance program and summer fellowships for students looking to pursue public interest work. Tickets can be ordered online or by phone at (216) 241-6000. Discount student tickets also are available.

Case in the News

The Plain Dealer, July 14, 2008
Just as the housing market shows signs of life, along comes the possibility of more trouble. The turmoil surrounding mortgage buyers Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac could make it harder and more expensive to buy a home, some experts say. Robin Dubin, an economics professor at Case Western Reserve University, offers insight.

Associated Press, July 11, 2008
U.N. officials and diplomats said the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court will seek an arrest warrant charging Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir with crimes against humanity and genocide in Darfur. Michael Scharf, a law professor at Case Western Reserve University who has studied international war crimes tribunals, comments.

Moneylaundering.com, July 7, 2008
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Speaking at an anti-money laundering conference last year, Richard Gordon, associate professor of law at Case Western Reserve University and the U.S. Director of the Canada-United States Law Institute, announced that he was working with the World Bank on a report about red flag indicators of terrorist financing.

The CPA Journal, July 2008Gary John Previts, the E. Mandell de Windt Professor at Case Western Reserve University's Weatherhead School of Management, contributes to an article about the first women certified public accountants who paved the way for others.

Business Spectator, July 14, 2008
Researchers believe they have uncovered a new form of dementia. To date, 16 cases of the unknown disease have been identified, of which 10 have proven fatal. Pierluigi Gambetti, director of the National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center at Case Western Reserve University, led the team that first identified the new form of dementia.

Higher Ed News

USA TODAY, July 15, 2008
A high-profile push by American business groups to double the number of U.S. bachelor's degrees awarded in science, math and engineering by 2015 is falling way behind target, a new report says.